Zardari skips money laundering hearing as court extends bail

KARACHI: A banking court here on Tuesday extended till March 11 the interim bail granted to former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused in a money laundering case.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman skipped today’s hearing while his sister along with accused turned up in the court for extension of their interim bail which expires today.

Defence counsel Farooq H Naek filed an application on behalf of the former president seeking exemption from personal appearance.

The counsel stated before the court that Zardari was busy in Islamabad owing to the ongoing National Assembly sessions and requested adjournment of the case for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the court provided a copy of the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea seeking transfer of the case from Karachi to Islamabad to the accused persons to submit their replies.

A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer informed the judge that accused Asalm Masood will remain in the agency’s custody until March 7 when his physical remands will expire.

At the previous hearing on Feb 14, the FIA prosecutor stated before the court that there was no justification to hear the bail petitions of the suspects.

Farooq H Naek, who represented the PPP leaders, said it was FIA’s responsibility to submit a final charge-sheet.

Over the course of the hearing, the judge asked investigation officer Muhammad Ali Abro about the progress of the case, to which he replied that they were transferring the case to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as per the Supreme Court orders.

However, the defence counsel said the SC had passed no such order that directed the bureau to file a reference.

The judge directed the prosecutor to either submit a challan or a petition to transfer the case to the corruption watchdog.

The FIA prosecutor further informed that the record is being transferred and they are in touch with the NAB occials in this record.